The man behind the Coul Links golf development in the north of Scotland has welcomed news that the Highland Council has deferred making a decision on the proposals.

Todd Warnock declared himself ‘humbled’ that council members have decided to further consider the plans for the new course at Embo, near Dornoch, and that he expects a final resolution ‘in the next couple of weeks’.

“The fact that every council member who spoke was supportive and that no council member was prepared to put forth a motion for refusal was deeply gratifying.”

Some council officials had previously called for the course to be rejected on environmental grounds. Part of the planned course would be situated on a Site of Special Scientific Interest and it had been argued by opponents to the development that it would have a ‘detrimental impact’ on a protected wildlife habitat.